Stuart McCall sounds like a Manchester United fan - and not just because he doesn't live in the city.

McCall is a true admirer of the Premiership's dream team, despite suffering some recent nightmares at their hands.

Since City were promoted to the top flight, United have won all three previous meetings, whacking in 14 goals without reply.

Tomorrow they go at it again at Valley Parade with captain McCall waxing lyrical about the quality of the opposition.

He said: "They are the benchmark for anyone and I respect them so much because they've got the infrastructure right.

"United aren't like Chelsea or Arsenal who've spent millions on foreigners. All right, they have bought players in but the basis of the club are lads who've been there a long time and come up from the youth.

"They have all matured together and know the right way to play.

"As fantastic a player as David Beckham is, he's not a fancy dan, and him and Ryan Giggs work so hard for the team. But that goes with all 11 players.

"We've got to match that graft and harry them out of their stride to have a chance.

"If it goes down to ability it will be six or seven, so we have to make up for that by working as hard as them.

"Fulham gave them a good game last week and just ran out of steam. But that's because United keep going physically.''

He continued: "If we play them ten times, you'd be delighted with one victory, even at home.

"But hopefully we'll catch them on a really off day and we are right at our best."

Behind the apparent pessimism, McCall is delighted with City's upturn in form.

He said: "We owed everyone after the Sunderland game and since then it's looked a lot better. We got a tremendous result at Leicester and having watched the Middlesbrough game again on video, if anyone deserved to win it was us.

"We know how tough it will be tomorrow and if we could come away with anything it would be a huge lift.

"The next three games are very difficult but if we get through without being too marooned at the bottom, then we've got a chance."